EA to Sell Game Music on iTunes

MTV.com reports that Electronic Arts plans to sell music from its video games on iTunes.com.

By the end of the year, the original soundtracks from games such as "Medal of Honor," "SSX" and "The Sims" will be available to purchase for cell phones and MP3 players through digital stores such as AOL Music, iTunes, MSN, Rhapsody and Yahoo! Music.

The eclectic lineup will include Just Blaze's beats from "NBA Live 2004," Paul Oakenfold's score for "GoldenEye" and old-school tracks from the "Command and Conquer" games. EA won't be selling music licensed for the company's hit games, instead offering only material commissioned specifically for the titles (so don't expect Green Day's "America Idiot" from last year's "Madden").

According to EA, the move is being made because the company realizes gamers strongly identify with the scores and jingles that reverberate from their gaming systems. "What was once two notes from 'Jaws' and seven notes from 'Star Wars' is now another's 'Sims' theme or 'Medal of Honor' theme," said Steve Schnur, Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA.

We could see a use for songs from video game as potential ring tones but it is surprising that people are interesting in buying them from iTunes. There are the occasional songs from TV shows that make it onto the Billboard music charts but EA's move is to put songs from dozens of games on iTunes. This may more of a branding move by EA than it is an opportunity for them to make revenues from their video game music.